Letters to the Editor - November 30

In support of Tara

I don't normally write to the editor, but in regards to the Tara apartments of Harvey Ball, what happens to freedom of speech? What happens to our freedom?

The bold initiative should be embraced, not attacked, as it brings true Australian spirit to the front. The signage, if you like it or not, creates provocation, however not necessarily negative, but positive. The discussion will bring more interest to the cause of helping others in Narooma. I highly recommend people look deep into the initiative and the meaning behind it, before blowing things out of proportion. The signage of any business can be a personal choice in this free country and what Harvey brings to the town is special and kind.

With patience and hope.

Orit Karny Winters, Capital Far South Coast NSW Business Chamber

Solving forest conflict

Conflict in our native forests seems intractable and entrenched, yet a viable solution is right under the NSW Government’s nose—the natural capital asset of carbon. The National Parks Association’s plan for the Great Southern Forest would reserve more than 400,000 ha of public native forest for carbon storage, instead of destructive uneconomical logging for wood chips. Carbon credits could earn $20 million per annum from these forests, which would mean jobs in forest restoration, wildlife protection, fire preparedness and eco-tourism; a sensible option for the future of our native forests.

Dr Bronte J Somerset, Quaama​

Not the full story

Jim Bright (Narooma News, November 23) said votes cast in four booths in the Narooma area showed a majority for the Greens and Community Voice Eurobodalla (CVE), who were opposed to ‘Huntfest’, over those who supported ‘Huntfest’ in the previous council.

This is not the full story. Twelce groups, numbered A to L, were on the ballot paper. The only group with an identifying name was The Greens. So voters had no idea who were CVE, Community Action Alliance, and so on, other than from how-to-vote slips handed out at the venue.

CVE nominated three groups, so they stood a better chance of being drawn at the top of the paper. They succeeded. Anthony Mayne’s group was top, in position A. The other two groups were in position C and D. The Greens were last, in position L.

Cr Mayne’s CVE group, in position A. received a substantial “donkey” vote, securing 510 first preference votes, or 13 per cent. The Greens, in their unfortunate position, drew 274 votes or 7 per cent; substantially less than in the 2012 council elections. How did CVE, in positions C and D fare? Only 17 (0.4 per cent) and 21 votes (0.5 per cent).

Shire wide, positions C and D secured 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively. It could be claimed, in the Narooma area, voters rejected the arguments and single-issue policies of the anti-Huntfest groups.

Of greater concern is that 20 per cent of eligible voters did NOT vote, and of those that did, nearly 10 per cent were informal.

Philip Creagh, Narooma

Convoluted maths

Jim Bright’s letter last week was a joke.

He said The Greens and CVA got more first preference votes than candidates who supported HuntFest. He conveniently forgot to add the first preference votes for Lindsay Brown and Phil Constable, who also supported HuntFest. Talk about convoluted maths; my two-year-old grandson is better at counting.

Jim, can you explain why, as the local Labor Branch Secretary in Narooma you stood against your own Labor candidate on a CVA ticket? Maybe it was that she had no chance of winning? I would consider such an act to be shameful. With ALP members like you, the Liberals will hold this seat forever. Hope to see you at HuntFest sometime in the next six years!

Dan Field, Narooma

Ready for the busy tourist season?! Brad and Vicki Jones from Mount Annan are travelling for four weeks, mostly inland. They loved getting to Narooma for a swim.